Mischief and Malice
by Littlebluebowtie
Summary: Is it possible to tame mischief? Can the suffering of others ever truly be eradicated? Such questions are never easily answered and when they are the answer is usually one we neither like nor wish to hear. Follow the God of Mischief as he discovers just how far down the rabbit hole goes and how unwise it can be to follow ones curiosity.


**Authors Note:** Hello all and welcome to my second Fanfiction! If you've come over from my other story I hope you enjoy this one as much as the other story-and if you simply stumbled across this one I hope you enjoy it as well. I do look forward to hearing what you have to say so feel free to speak your mind-all criticism will be taken as constructive. I will warn all you readers now that I took some rather creative liberties with this story-so be warned that there might be some things (quite a lot actually) in the story that isn't cannon.

 **Disclaimer:** The Marvel Universe and all the characters associated with its writing belong to their respective owners.

Everything else belongs to me.

* * *

They had imprisoned him, treated him as if he was nothing more than dirt beneath their shoes and yet here they stood before him seeking out _his_ help. Oh, how ironic life could be at times. He studied the faces of the so-called Avengers and despite himself couldn't help feel an overwhelming amount of curiosity at what he saw written on each of their faces: fear, confusion, mistrust, anger, and annoyance. He wasn't sure what the cause was, but he was very much certain that he was not the only source of the tense atmosphere. "Earth mightiest worries," He noted how each reacted to his words before continuing. "seeking out my help?" The smile that he gave them all was anything but pleasant. "How interesting." Despite the levity of the situation his smile only increased when agent Romanoff's hand tightened on the weapon attached to her thigh. Mortals, how amusing and yet tiresome he found there fear and their pathetic belief that weapons were the answer to all life's little problems.

"It would be unwise for you to get any ideas Loki." Fury's smile set Loki's back teeth on edge and sent a brief and painful wave of anger through his veins. "We wouldn't want you to experience any unnecessary pain." The muscle in his jaw clenching was the only outward sign he displayed at being reminded of the device that had been surgically implanted at the base of his skull—not that he needed any reminding. The brief stabs of pain that slid across his nervous system every time he thought about anything the device did not like was all the reminder that he needed.

He turned away from the group and stared out the widow, wondering once more why he had even agreed to the stipulations his brother and the Avengers had given him. 'Because you could not stand another moment being trapped in that infernal cell and because you did not believe that the device they had mentioned would be all that it claimed to be' a little voice somewhere in his mind commented as he gazed at the world bellow him. Though he was loathed to admit it, that voice was right, Loki had wanted free of his prison and he had not believed the human contraption did what they claimed it did.

What a fool he had been.

It had not taken him long to realise that not only did the machine make it impossible for him to cause anyone physical and/or emotional harm, but that it also made such thoughts impossible as well. It had only taken one demonstration of the contraptions power for him to realise that the pain it inflected on him was not something he wished to feel, ever.

"What exactly is it that you have called me to this forsaken lump of rock for?" He said in an almost tired sounding voice, though it lacked none of its usual acerbic. His question was met with silence for the first few moments but eventually one of the few people who possessed any sort of real intelligence finally spoke.

"This." He turned around and watched as Stark pulled up a rather curious video for him to see. Loki stepped forward and stared at the objects floating in the meadow as if suspended on strings. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before –and he had seen a great many things in his life time– and despite his best efforts his earlier curiosity increased. What could have done this? More to the point why had it only affected certain objects in the space ?

"I take it that this is not the first instance that this has occurred?" He asked once he had finished thoroughly going over the video, the coffee he had been offered earlier floating towards him.

"No, it hasn't been the only occurrence." Stark responded automatically and pulled up several other videos. "There have been several other instances in the last few months and in every location objects were left suspended in the air."

He stepped even closer to the rudimentary device and raised his hand to flick through the videos and images as he sipped at the hot beverage; savoring the taste as the hot cup warmed his hand. He had taken a liking to the drink during his last visit to Earth and found that it helped clear his senses and warmed the cold blood in his veins—something that very few things could do. "And you have no idea what is causing this?" He asked, though he already knew the answer to his question.

"If we knew that you wouldn't be here lord of the grease." Loki gritted his teeth at agent Romanoff's words but didn't give rise to her comment; it would only cause him unwanted pain and ultimately served no purpose.

"Given our limited experience with anything like this before your brother thought we should bring you in." It was obvious to Loki that Fury wasn't exactly thrilled with the notion and that only made Loki smile. They may have stopped him from causing misery in the methods he preferred but that did not mean they had stopped him completely, and he would take his pleasure where he could.

"He or she is exceptionally strong, power wise." He didn't particularly care for that little detail but there was always a way around everything and he could be quite charming when he needed to be. He zoomed in on one particular image. "They are also scared." He twisted the image and stared at the imprint of what looked to be a body.

"You think it is a person doing this?" The soldier asked as he stepped up next to him, though making sure he kept his distance.

"I have said as much have I not?" He asked with an arched brow, noting with amusement the tick in the soldiers jaw.

"Care to enlighten us your Majesty?" Romanoff said with enough sarcasm to sink a barge. He was going to take great pleasure in killing the insufferable woman once he was finally able to, in the meantime he magnified the image that caught his attention and pointed to a spot in the earth.

"A body lay here." He motioned. "and as you have made no mention that anyone died in these freak occurrences it is only logical to assume that this indentation was the person who caused this." Humans. How they had managed to survive this long with their limited intellect was beyond him.

"Why do you think she's scared?" The one they called Hawkeye asked.

He fought the urge to sigh. The cell he had been a prisoner in was starting look more and more like the thing dreams were made of. At least there he did not have to deal with such limited intellect. "The fetal position the body was in would indicate that they are terrified of what they are doing. It is obviously something that is happening to them and this is the only way they know how to cope." He said as if he were speaking to some with a small mind, and he was. He frowned as he flicked through the images. "They," He said slowly, fleshing out what he could see so that he could put it into words. "are also either trying to avoid detection or not hurt anyone." He easily pulled up a map and plotted all the locations each event had occurred in before anyone could ask yet another trivial question. "Each location is remote and away from towns. So they are either trying to hide or they do not wish to risk any of you pathetic humans getting hurt." He walked away from the monitors and lowered himself into one of the many chairs in the conference room, noting that the eyes of the room were still on him.

"I cannot say how the person is doing this but I would suggest either looking into that group that call themselves Hydra." He steepled his fingers and continued to stare at the images before him, his green eyes revealing nothing about the path his thoughts had taken. "Or at the possibility that this person is from one of the nine realms or beyond that."

His brother naturally frowned at this. "None from the nine realms possess such abilities."

"None brother?" He asked with an arched brow. "I am living proof that anything is possible."

The hand that held Mjölnir clenched and a muscle in his cheek jumped. "Do any of your kind possess such abilities Loki?" Thor took –what he assumed to be–a threatening step towards him when he did not provide him with an answer immediately.

"You forget dear brother," He ran his finger over his lips in attempt to hide his smile. "Our father took me when I was but a child and I am afraid that has affected any dealings I may have had with my frost giant brethren." He smiled fully at him, though it lacked any real amusement. "Though it might also have something to do with my killing Laufey." He lifted the cup to his lips and took another drink, prolonging the little game he was playing for another few moments before he admitted. "But as far as I am aware of no Frost Giant possess such abilities."

"How do we know we can trust him?" Romanoff asked as she looked to his pathetic brother.

Thor looked thoughtful for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. "I cannot say. Loki's vengeance against me and Earth goes deep, but I do not detect any lie in his words."

Romanoff gave his brother a skeptical look. "No offense Thor, but your readings on your brother haven't proven very successful in the past."

"It is true that in the past I haven't been able to read him very well but," Thor hesitated, his eyes briefly flicking in his direction. "he is no fool and he will not wish to feel the type of pain that device can and will inflict on him."

"As riveting as this all is..."He interjected before anyone could say anything else, hiding his irritation behind his neutral expression and tamping down on his anger. "I can be of no further use to you at this point." He leaned back in his chair with a board look. "I require more information than what you have and unless you provide it I cannot do whatever it is you wish for me to do."

"You can give us nothing else brother?"

He briefly debated lying to Thor but eventually brushed aside the idea. It would serve no purpose and if he did not help them there was no telling when they would find whoever was doing this, and he did want them to find the person. "Only certain objects were affected by whatever power this is." He used a single finger to point to one of the videos. "Only the metal ones to be precise." With that said Loki tuned out the remainder of the conversation, only answering when he absolutely had to and with very little information that could be of any real help. As the hours stretched on he allowed his mind to wander and contemplated this newly acquired bit of information and what he could do with it.

What wonderful possibilities these human's had presented him with and they did not even realise it.


End file.
